It's been nearly seven years since we had professional photos done as a family. Recently extended family arranged large group pictures but for our family of five it was a very difficult experience.
It's hard to explain but after one of your children is no longer walking on earth with you, family photos bring a certain level of sadness. We had no input in the arranged extended family pictures of setting, photographer, clothing or how we could remember Emma in them. That brought much sadness to the pictures for all of us...it was as if no one understood how special family photos were to us.
Prior to knowing about the extended family pictures I had been mulling over family pictures in my mind. A thought came to my head how to celebrate the new chapter in our lives - life with Sveta.
This past weekend, we celebrated a milestone. In a way we were able to celebrate life with our children here on earth and remember Emma in Heaven.
Family pictures.
It had to be extraordiary...amazing...and it was.
My friend Haylee is just starting to do photography, Heavenly Butterfly photography, (she is also on FB!) If you are in the East Tennessee area check her out! So, a while back I had this crazy idea to have our family pictures done at the Two Rivers Mansion in Nashville. This is where The Band Perry shot their video for the song "If I Die Young". Haylee lives in Tennessee and I had been saying for months she needed to travel here to snap our family, little did I know my husband would set up the whole thing with Haylee and give me a week 1/2 notice!
These are just a few of the photos Haylee did. I love them all. Emma's presence is in each of them. There are little things here and there that are very subtle.
Haylee knew how special and significant these photos would be to us for she too has children in Heaven.
This piano is the one in the "If I Die Young Video" by The Band Perry ....the kids were cracking up when Haylee told them to crawl under it to take a picture.
Thank you Haylee! Can't wait to see the rest of them. Thank you for being such an important part of this hallmark point in our lives, and for always, always being supportive, and always my funny friend with the same crazy accent and warped personality as myself. I love you!
Motherhood....it's the legacy we leave behind.
4 comments:
Absolutely beautiful photos! I understand how happy you must be with them!
Can you please tell a little about how you see Emma's presence in the pictures? I think it is such a sweet thought. I guess you picture her in the ray of light that is present in many of the photos, or in the whirling leaves - but I may be wrong :-) Please tell!
Butterflies...goes along with the syndrome she had..we don't think she is a butterfly but its symbolic. Paige had a butterfly on her shirt, and the pic with me and the kids...butterflies on the mural...also the location...strangely it does look like a butterfly shape above the girls with their butterfly wings, but its a leaf. The whole photo shoot we could feel her presence I think because God had given us peace about the photos and their significance. We know she is always with us and can't wait to see her again! It was a sweet, beautiful day...
Beautiful, Kim. Absolutely beautiful. I'm so glad you have a wonderful photographer friend who could help you make this experience so sweet and significant, and enable you to include Emma in each shot. <3
You have blessed me today by sharing your story, and your photos. I, too, have a precious child in heaven, and I, too, trust God for His perfect plans. One day . . . maybe soon . . . we will be with them again. For today, we continue to rest in God's grace on this side of heaven. Beautiful pictures! They will be treasured for years to come!
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